Transmit the beauty of consecrated life, Pope urges those involved in formation

April 13, 2015

Pope Francis met with 1,300 consecrated men and women are involved in the formation of young religious and called upon them to convey to postulants and novices the beauty of consecrated life.

The Pope said that he is “convinced that there is not a vocations crisis where there are consecrated people able to transmit the beauty of consecration with their own witness.”

“You are above all witnesses to following Christ in your particular charism,” the Pope said in his April 11 address in Paul VI Audience Hall. “And this is done if you rediscover every day the joy of being disciples of Jesus. From this joy comes the requirement to care always for your own personal formation, a formation that begins with a strong friendship with the only Master.”

“It is beautiful to be formators, because it is a privilege to participate in the work of the Father who forms the heart of the Son in those whom the Spirit has called,” the Pope continued. “Form the passion of proclamation, the passion for going wherever, in every periphery, to tell everyone about the love of Jesus Christ, especially to those far from the Church, to the little ones, and to the poor, and let ourselves be evangelized by them.”

Stating that there is “a solid base, a Christian structure of one’s personality that today families rarely know how to give,” the Pope added that “there is great liberty in an obedient life, great fruitfulness in a virginal heart, great richness in possessing nothing.”

 

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Further information:

• Udienza ai partecipanti al Convegno dei Formatori di consacrati e consacrate, promosso dalla Congregazione per gli Istituti di vita consacrata e le Società di vita apostolic (Holy See Press Office)
• Pope encourages religious to be witnesses (Vatican Radio)